When we first saw Dorothy Gambrell's Missed Connections chart on the blog of dating site “How About We…,” it was the graphics that caught our eye. A closer look left us incredulous. (Seriously -- Walmart was home to the most missed connections in nearly one-third of all states??) But it’s the title of the blog post on The Dish that seems the most apt summary of all: “The Saddest Map in America.”

For those who don’t know, a “Missed Connection” is an actual thing (complete with Wikipedia entry), a specific type of personal ad filling the boards of local Craigslist sites everywhere. (The chart above, first published in Psychology Today, is based on the locations cited in each state’s 100 most recent Missed Connection posts at the time of data collection.)

However, for every uppercase Missed Connection there are a multitude of missed connections, and most of us have at least one to our name. It’s true that sometimes the best part of a missed connection is the way it takes on larger-than-life proportions in the remembering. The “what if…” -- the imagining of what might have been -- makes for great daydreams...not to mention great fantasy fodder!

But if you prefer your connections made not missed, remember that nothing is sexier than confidence. Not sure what to say? Start with “Hello.” Embarrassed? It's fleeting. Worst case, you’ve paid a compliment, flattered a stranger, even made someone’s day. Best case, you’re living your fantasy instead of imagining it and laughing in the face of this chart, nice graphics, Walmart dominance and all.